Calibrachoa plant named ‘Sunbel 0778’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Sunbel 0778’, characterized by its mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching and flowering plant habit; early and long flowering period; numerous single bright yellow-colored flowers with dull red (greyed purple) coloration towards the throat and venation; color becoming closer to dull yellowish pink (light orange red) during the summer; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNBEL 0778’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Sunbel 0778’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventors in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective ofthe breeding program is to develop new compact, mounding and freelybranching Calibrachoa plants with numerous attractive and uniquelycolored flowers.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination conductedby the Inventors in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in April, 2008 of aproprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number7056-2, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietaryselection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number LPY0, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plantfrom within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in September, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by vegetative cuttingsin a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan sinceSeptember, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this newCalibrachoa plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunbel 0778’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Sunbel 0778’ as a new and distinct Calibrachoaplant:

-   -   1. Mounding plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching and flowering plant habit.    -   4. Early and long flowering period.    -   5. Numerous single bright yellow-colored flowers with dull red        (greyed purple) coloration towards the throat and venation;        color becoming closer to dull yellowish pink (light orange red)        during the summer.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily fromplants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of thefemale parent selection have red purple-colored flowers. In addition,plants of the new Calibrachoa are more mounding than and not as uprightas plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily fromplants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of themale parent selection have yellow-colored flowers with orange colorationtowards the throat. In addition, plants of the new Calibrachoa are notas compact as plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants ofCalibrachoa ‘Sunbelriki’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,918. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plantsof the new Calibrachoa and ‘Sunbelriki’ differed primarily in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more mounding than and not        as upright to outwardly spreading as plants of ‘Sunbelriki’.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had longer internodes than        plants of ‘Sunbelriki’.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had larger sepals than plants        of ‘Sunbelriki’.    -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had lighter yellow-colored        flowers than plants of ‘Sunbelriki’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Calibrachoa plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Calibrachoa plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunbel 0778’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Sunbel 0778’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in 15-cm containers in an outdoornursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typicalof commercial Calibrachoa production. During the production of theplants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged13° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and thedescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. ‘Sunbel 0778’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 7056-2, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number LPY0, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one week at 15° C. to            20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at 15° C. to 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Mounding plant habit; freely            branching habit with numerous lateral branches developing            per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch development;            vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 18.5 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 39 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 26.3 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 1.7 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1.2 mm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to N144C.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 4.1 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143B.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 143C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A; venation,            close to 145A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 146B; venation, close to 145B.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 3.4 mm. Diameter: About 0.4 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 144C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers            arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with            usually about 32 flowers developing per plant; flowers face            upright or outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of            the new Calibrachoa initiate and develop flowers about three            to four weeks after planting; long flowering period,            flowering commences naturally during the spring and plants            flower continuously throughout the summer until late autumn            in Japan.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten            days on the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3.3 cm.        -   Flower length (depth).—About 2.4 cm.        -   Throat diameter.—About 7.8 mm.        -   Tube length.—About 1.6 cm.        -   Tube diameter, base.—About 2.2 mm.        -   Flower bud.—Shape: Cylindrical. Length: About 2.3 cm.            Diameter: About 5.9 mm. Color: Close to 2B; venation, close            to 178B.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:            About 1.2 cm. Petal width: About 1.4 cm. Petal shape:            Spatulate. Petal apex: Rounded. Petal margin: Entire. Petal            texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat            texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent. Color:            Petal, when opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close            to 2A; towards the throat, close to 184A; venation, close to            184A; during the summer, color becoming closer to 35C.            Petal, when opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close            to 8C; venation, close to 178B. Throat: Close to 2A;            venation, close to N187A. Tube: Close to 8C; venation, close            to 187A.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped tubular calyx tube with            five sepals fused at the base. Sepal length: About 1.3 cm to            1.9 cm. Sepal width: About 4.4 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate.            Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Sepal color: Immature            and mature, upper surface: Close to 137C. Immature and            mature, lower surface: Close to 137D.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 0.8 mm.            Angle: Semi-upright. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent.            Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.            Stamen length: About 9 mm to 12 mm. Anther shape:            Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 1.7 mm by 1.4 mm. Anther            color: Close to 1A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:            Close to 2B. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil            length: About 9.7 mm. Style color: Close to 144D. Stigma            shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to            144B. Ovary color: Close to 144B.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Calibrachoa.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not    been observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to    Calibrachoa plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘Sunbel0778’ as illustrated and described.